Socket wrench extension



June 10, 1952 ABLE ETAL SOCKET WRENCH EXTENSION 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 FiledJuly 14, 1949 June 10, 1952 T. ABLE ET AL SOCKET WRENCH EXTENSION 2SHEETSSHEET 2 Filed July 14, 1949 I I L l I I I ll INVENTORS PatentedJune 10, 1952 SOCKET WRENCH Ex'rENsIoN Edward Thorne Able and WillardKrieger, Denver, 0010., assignors to B. K. Sweeney Mfg. 00., Denver,0010., a corporation of Colorado Application July 14, 1949, Serial No.104,644

This invention relates to a socket wrench extension device, moreparticularly designed for use in reaching and rotating the main bearingnuts on diesel engine crank shafts. In the usual large diesel engine, asemployed in locomotive work, theorank cases are accessible only throughrelatively small doors in the side of the crank case. It is exceedinglydifficult to reach and rotate the nuts on the main bearings throughthese side doors, due to the fact there is not sufficient space belowthe nuts to operate a conventional socket wrench, and there is notsufficient width in the doors to swing the usual lever-type wrench.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a socket wrenchextension device which can be readily inserted through a crank case doorof a locomotive type diesel engine, and easily positioned over the mainbearing nuts therein, and which can be actuated from the exterior of thecrank case. Another object of the invention is to so construct thewrench extension device that the torque effort exerted on the externalextremity thereof will be greatly multiplied at the wrench extremitythereof.

A further object is to provide a highly efficient ratcheting mechanismwhereby the nuts may be rapidly and easily rotated in either desireddirection by a simple oscillating motion at 8 Claims. (01. 81-57) In thefollowing detailed description of the invention, reference is had to theaccompanying drawing which forms a part hereof. Like numerals refer tolike parts in all views of the drawing and throughout the description.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a top viewof the improved socket wrench extension device;

Fig. 2 is a vertical, longitudinal section therethrough, taken on theline 22, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal, longitudinal section, taken on the line 3-3,Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, detail section, taken on the line44, Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a similarly enlarged, detail section, taken on the line 55,Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side view of the outer The improved wrench isdesigned to present a relatively fiat cross-section so that it may bereadily inserted in the limited vertical spaces available in theconventional locomotive diesel crank case. The wrench mechanism isenclosed in an elongated flat housing It having a ratchet chamber lladjacent its inner extremity. The remainder of the housing III is closedby means of a removable cover plate I2 held in place thereon by suitablecap screws IS. The cap plate I2 is provided with a convenient carryinghandle I4 positioned adjacent the outer extremity of the housing l0 soas to facilitate the insertion of the inner extremity thereof into thecrank case.

A vertical, hollow power shaft I5 is jouinalled in suitableanti-friction bearings I6 in the housing l0 and in suitable bearings I!in the cover plate l2 adjacent the outer extremity of the wrench. A setcollar I8 is keyed, as indicated at 19, to the upper extremity of thepower shaft l5, and is set thereon by means of a suitable set screw 20so that the collar will rotate it as a unit with the shaft l5. The shaftis-provided with a non-circular wrench socket 2| for receiving the plugextremity of any suitable wrench device, by means of which the powershaft l5 can be rotated.

The are of rotation of the power shaft I5 is limited by means of a stoparm 22 which is afiixed in and projects from the collar I8 so as toswing into contact with stop pins 23 mounted on the cover plate l2 atthe limits of the arc of movement.

A toothed drive pinion 24 is formed or permanently mounted on the powershaft 15 within the housing 10 and is in constant mesh with the teeth ofone segment of a double-segment intermediate gear 25. Theintermediategear 25 is mounted on an intermediate gear shaft'ZGjournalled in anti-friction bearings 21 in the housing It and in similarbearings 28 in the cover plate I2. The teeth of the opposite segment ofthe double-segment intermediate gear 25 are in constant mesh with teeth29 of a gear segment formed on the free extremity of-an actuating leverarm 30. The other extremity of the lever arm 30 is transversally andhorizontally slotted and is hingedly mounted on a removable wrenchsocket shaft 3l carrying at its upper extremity a nut socket 32 forreceiving and engaging the faces of the nut or bolt to be rotated.

The wrench socket shaft 3| is formed with a plurality of externalsplines 33 which intermesh with spline grooves formed in a ratchet gear34 which is mounted on the socket shaft 3| within the transverse slot inthe hinged extremity of the operating lever 30.

The shaft 31 is journalled in suitable ball bearings 35 in the top ofthe ratchet chamber l l and in suitable anti-friction radial bearings 36in the bottom thereof. The ratchet gear 34 moves as a unit with thesocket shaft 3!.

A plurality of ratchet teeth 37 are formed in the periphery of theratchet gear 3 The ratchet teeth 31 are double acting, that is, they arepointed with equally and oppositely inclined sides forming a pluralityof 90 V-shaped grooves in its periphery.

Rotation of the ratchet gear 34 is resisted by means of a pointed,tubular ratchet click 3B which is constantly urged into the notchesbetween the teeth 37 by mean of a click spring 39. The click 38 and itsspring 39 are mounted in a removable plug 49 threaded into the extremityof the housing ill.

The oscillations of the lever arm 36 are transmitted to the ratchetgeared by means of a generally circular rocking ratchet pawl 4i mountedin a cylindrical pawl cavity 55 in the arm Bil. A pawl pin 42 extendsconcentrically through the cavity 55 and through the pawl M to retainthe latter in its cavity.

The rocking pawl 4! is provided with front and rear faces definingparallel chords of its circular periphery. The front face is providedwith a right-hand tooth 43 at one side and a left-hand tooth 44 at theother side. The pawl M and the pin 42 are so positioned that the teeth 3and 44 can be alternately brought into engagement with the notchesbetween the ratchet teeth 3? by simply swinging the pawl back and forth.

The pawl may be swung by means of a reversing' post 48 having a footportion 49 which is attached to the top of the pawl 41 by means ofsuitable attachment screws 56. A pawl-reversing lever projects from thepost 48 by means of which it may be rotated. V

The rear face of the ratchet pawl M is pro- .vided with a centralholding tooth-45 having equal and oppositelyinclined sides. Aspringactuated holding plunger 46 is constantly urged against the rearface of the pawl M and against the sides of the tooth 45 by means of aplunger spring 41.

Let us assume that the improved socket wrench 4 extension device hasbeen inserted through the side door of a diesel engine crank case and isresting upon the lower edge of the door opening, with the wrench socket32 extending upwardly about a main bearing'nut, and that it is desiredto tighten the said nut. The reversing lever Si :is swung to the right,causing the plunger 33 to snap over the holding tooth 45 and against theleft side thereof, as shown in Fig. 4. This brings the right-hand tooth33 into contact with the ratchet teeth 3?. A turning bar or actuatinglever is now inserted in the wrench socket 2| and swung back and forth,the actuating are being limited by the position of the stop pins 23. Thedrive pinion 2-! oscillates one extremity of the intermediate gear 25.The other extremity of the latter will oscillate the free extremity ofthe actuating lever arm 36. As this arm moves clockwise, the pawl 4!will be carried with it and will .tend to rotate clockwise about the pin52, causing the tooth 43 to climb and snap over the teeth 31. As thetooth 43 climbs the teeth of the ratchet gear,'the holding tooth actagainst the plunger 46 and compresses the spring 31.

The click 38 prevents the ratchet wheel from rotatin with the returnmovement of the pawl.

As the actuating arm 30 swings counter-clockwise, the pawl 1! tends torotate in the same direction about the pin 52 and faces the tooth 423into the notch between the teeth 31 so as to force the ratchet gear 3 3to the right, causing the click 38 to ride over the ratchet teeth. Therotation of the ratchet gear 3 is transmitted through the splines 33 tothe nut socket 32, and from thence to the nut in place therein.

To unscrew the nut, it is only necessary to swing the reversing lever 5|to the left to place the left-hand tooth M in contact with the teeth 4'!and to place the holding plunger 46 on the opposite side of the centralholding tooth 45.

It will be noted that a multiplied torque is obtained proportional tothe difierence in pitch radius between the drive pinion 2 3 and theactuating lever arm 30. The stop pins 23 are so positioned that the arcof movement of the intermediate gear 25 will be limited to the confinesof'the housing Hi. Dowel pins 54 are provided in the housing Ill whichenter receiving openings in the cover plate 12 to facilitate thepositioning of the latter over the various shafts in the housing l0. 7

The socket shaft 3! can be simply lifted from place and replaced byothers to suit the particular nuts beingworked upon.

It is desired to call attention to the fact that the pawl M is generallycircular and that it fits snugly into the cylindrical socket 55 so thatthe reactive thrust of the pawl is absorbed by the wall of the socket55, and not by the'pin 42. Therefore, much greater stresses can besustained than would be accommodated by the cross-section of the pin 12.

While a specific form of the improvement has been described andillustrated herein,'it is to be understood that the same may be 'varied,within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from thespirit of the invention.

Havingthus described the invention, what is claimed and desired securedby Letters Patent is:

1. An extension wrench device comprising: an elongated housing; a powershaft provided with a wrench-receiving socket mounted in the outerextremity of said housing; a wrench shaft provided with a nut-receivingsocket mounted in the inner extremity of said housing; a toothed drivepinion fixedly mounted on said power shaft; a lever arm of greaterlength than width rotatably mounted on said wrench shaft and projectingto one side only of the latter; an intermediate gear positioned betweensaid pinion and the free extremity of said lever arm within said housingand in mesh with said drive pinion; teeth on the free extremity of saidlever arm in mesh with said intermediate gear so that oscillation ofsaid power shaft will be transmitted through said intermediate gear tosaid lever arm; and means transmitting the oscillation of said lever armto said wrench shaft.

2. An extension'wrench device comprising: an elongated housing; a powershaft provided with a wrench-receiving socket mounted in the outerextremity of said housing; a wrench shaft provided with a nut-receivingsocket mounted in the inner extremity of said housing; a toothed drivepinion fixedly mounted on said power shaft; a lever arm of greaterlength than width rotatably mounted on said wrench shaft and projectingto Elm 1W tremity of said fever armwithm said housing and in mesh withsaid drive pinion; teeth on the free extremity of said lever arm: inmesh: with saidintermediate gear so that-oscillationof. said power shaftwill be transmitted. through said intermediate gear to said lever arm; aratchet, gear affixed on said wrench shaft; 3:11.413, ratchet pawlmounted in an opening formed in said lever arm adjacent said ratchetgear and acting against said ratchet gear to transmit the oscillaticar.of said lever am into rotation of said wrench shaft.

3;. An extension wrench. device comprising: an elongated housing ofgreater length than width; a power shaft provided with awrench-receiving socket mounted in the outer extremity of said housing;a wrench shaft provided with a nut receiving socket mounted in the innerextremity of said housing; a toothed drive pinion fixedly mounted onsaid power shaft; a lever arm of greater length than width rotatablymounted on said wrench shaft and projecting to one side only of thelatter; an intermediate gear positioned between said pinion and the freeextremity of said lever arm within said housing and in mesh with saiddrive pinion; teeth on the free extremity of said lever arm in mesh withsaid intermediate gear so that oscillation of said power shaft will betransmitted through said intermediate gear to said lever arm; a ratchetgear afflxed on said wrench shaft; a ratchet pawl mounted in an openingformed in said lever arm adjacent said ratchet gear and acting againstsaid ratchet gear to transmit the oscillation of said lever arm intorotation of said wrench shaft, the width of said housing acting'to limitthe arc of movement of said lever arm to less than 360.

4. An extension wrench device comprising: an elongated housing ofgreater length than width; 2:. power shaft provided with awrench-receiving socket mounted in the outer extremity of said housing;a wrench shaft provided with a nutreceiving socket mounted in the innerextremity of said housing; a toothed drive pinion fixedly mounted onsaid power shaft; a lever arm of greater length than width rotatablymounted on said wrench shaft and projecting to one side only of thelatter; an intermediate gear positioned'between said pinion and the freeextremity of said lever arm within said housing and in mesh with saiddrive pinion; teeth on the free extremity of said lever arm in mesh withsaid intermediate gear so that oscillation of said power shaft will betransmitted through said intermediate gear." to said lever arm; aratchet gear aflixed on said wrench shaft; a ratchet pawl rotatablymounted in said lever arm and engaging said ratchet gear to transmitmovement from said lever 'arm to said wrench shaft, said intermediategear having a greater length than width so as to correspond to the shapeof the elongated housing, the width of said housing limiting the arc ofrotation of said intermediate gear to less than 360.

5. An extension wrench device comprising: an elongated housing ofgreater length than width; 1!. power shaft provided with awrench-receiving socket mounted in the outer extremity of said housing,a wrench shaft provided with a nutreceiving socket mounted in the innerextremity of said housing; a toothed drive pinion fixedly mounted onsaid power shaft; a lever arm of greater length than width rotatablymounted on said wrench shaft and projecting to one side .6 v or thelatter; an intermediate-shaft in ...i..d. housing intcrmediate saidwrench shaft and said power shaft; a. relatively narrow, double!segment, intermediate gear or greater-- length -.-than width mounted onsaid intermediate shaft,

the segments of said gear extending in opposite aligned directions, thedrive pinion being in mesh with one of saidsegments; teeth on the freeextremity of said lever arm in mesh with the other of said s ments sothat c cillaticnof said p w shaft. will be transmitted throughsaidintermediate gear to said lever arm; and. ratchet means mounted onsaid lever arm for" rotating said ratchet gear in consequence of theoscillation of said lever arms, the width of said housing beinginsufficient to allow complete rotation of said intermediate gear.

6. An extension wrench device comprising: an elongated housing ofgreater length than width; a power shaft provided with awrench-receiving socket mounted in the outer extremity of said housing;a wrench shaft provided with a nutreceiving socket mounted in the innerextremity of said housing; a toothed drive pinion fixedly mounted onsaid power shaft; an intermediate shaft in said housing; an intermediategear of greater length than width rotatably mounted on said intermediateshaft in mesh, at one ex- ,tremity with said drive gear; an elongatedlever arm; teeth in one extremity of said lever arm in mesh with theopposite extremity of said intermediate gear; a shaft opening in theother extremity of said lever arm axially parallel to said drive andintermediate shafts, the latter extremity of the lever arm being slottedin a plane at right angles to the axis of said shaft opening; a wrenchshaft passing through and rotatable within said opening; a ratchet gearkeyed on said wrench shaft within the slot in said lever arm; meansjournalling said wrench shaft in said housing; and ratchet means mountedon said lever arm and engaging said ratchet gear to rotate the latter inconsequence of oscillation of .said lever arm the width of said housingbeing insufiicient to allow complete rotation of said intermediate gearand said lever arm.

7. An extension wrench device comprising: an elongated, relatively flathousing; a hollow power shaft journalled in said housing and extending'therethrough adjacent one extremity of the latbifurcated to receivesaid ratchet gear, and being hingedly connected with said socket shafton both sides of said ratchet gear, the other extremity of said leverarm being in mesh with the other segment of said double-segment gear;doubleacting, peripheral ratchet teeth on said ratchet gear; areversible ratchet pawl mounted in, and

. movable with, said actuating lever and contacting said teeth; andpawl-reversing means mounted on said pawl and extending to the exteriorof said housing.

8. An extension wrench device as described in claim 7 in which thewrench socket shaft is axially withdrawable from the ratchet gear forinterchange purposes, and having means for slidable engagement betweensaid socket shaft and said ratchet gear for communicating the rotationof the latter to the former.

EDWARD 'I'HORNE ABLE.- WIILARD KRIEGER.

REFERENCES CITED 9 The following references are of record in the the ofthis patent:

Number Number 8 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Clement Oct. 12, 1886Spengler Apr; 26, 1898 Van Der Werfi Apr. 1, 1913 Wilson Oct. '7, 1924Kress -4 May 8, 1934 Walton Aug. 21, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS Country DateFrance May 16, 1904 Great Britain July 29, 1909

